


Hiding in the Shadows

by girlwithpassion



Series: Matters of the Hearts [4]
Category: Bollywood RPF, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020), Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020) RPF
Genre: Angst, Bollywood, Boys In Love, Flashbacks, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Slow Burn, Spending Time Together, award show, extra marital affair, in a closet relationship, shooting for movie, smzs 2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:35:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28128474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlwithpassion/pseuds/girlwithpassion
Summary: (Sequel of Heartstring. Read that first in order to understand this story.)Jitu and Ayushmann finally had each other, they were in love. But was it enough? In the world of Bollywood, being in love is so easy but being in love with another man... now that's a whole different story.Ayushmann starts an extra marital affair with Jitu as they begin to shoot for SMZS 2. For a while it seems like world could not be more perfect or generous on Ayushmann and Jitu. Until, it turns out that you cannot have best of both worlds indeed. For how long Ayushmann can string along Jitu and Tahira without bearing any consequences for his actions. Set after the events of Heartstrings.
Relationships: Ayushmann Khurrana/Jitendra Kumar, Kartik Singh/Aman Tripathi
Series: Matters of the Hearts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662574
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	Hiding in the Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all... hope everyone's doing well. Thank you all for your continuous support. I know I have been AWOL just so much had been going on. Good news is I am finally back with Sequel of Heartstrings. Bad news is, I can't promise as regular updates as before but I'll try my best to update as much as I can. As mentioned at the end of Heartstrings, the sequel will be darker and will explore different themes and how their relationship changes because life is not bed of roses.

**Hiding In The Shadows::Jitu/Ayushmann**

"And the IIFA for Best Actor goes to... without a doubt, most deserving, Ayushmann Khuranna!" The room is filled with the loud applauses and shouts, for the man himself who hasn't registered the fact his name has been called out. A hand on his shoulder pulling him in a side hug causes the man of hour to finally look up from his phone screen to notice Bhumi pulling him in a hug.

"You won." She whispers and Ayushmann finally notices that this noise and attention is for him. The said actor gives one last disappointed look at his phone before putting it away and is back in the room. He gets into action, returning the hug he is on his feet jogging towards the stage, almost being stopped at every table and being congratulated by his fellow actors.

Once in stage, Ayushmann accepts the award from Rekha and finally looks at the crowd he feels overwhelmed with the award in his hand, it feels unreal, the finally get an award for Best Actor. No more critics choice or supporting award, the best actor award is his tonight. This is it. This is the moment he was waiting for, working so hard for it, yet, now that he is here, why does he feel so alone. Is it true, the winner truly stands alone? Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath pushing those feelings at side, he opens his eyes and gives his best "I'm fine and happy" smile as he takes the stage to give his speech.

"Oh wow! I have no words how I am feeling right now." He chuckles nervously. As he finds the right words to thank everyone, he feels vibration of his phone in his pocket but he ignores it. He phone rings few times but he ignores it as he is stopped on stage by Varun Dhawan for some stage performance unaware of the fact how important that phone call is going to be in few moments.

There is huge crowd gathering now in middle of the road where a car is turned upside down and someone is trapped badly in the car. Ambulance and police helps get the man out of the car and into the ambulance.

There is a sudden rush in hospital all of sudden when the man is brought into the hospital, almost immediately surrounded by nurses as the stretcher is being rolled towards the OT when they are joined by Dr. Mehra.

"Car accident case. The car wad turned upside down and patient's head was stuck in the steering wheel." There is a silence for a second as they process it.

"He has been breathing, but barely." Doctor assess the young man's face which is covered in blood, his neck and lower back is in bad shape, it's going to be a very long

"Let's prepare for the surgery immediately." Everyone gets to work and Doctor asks nurse to find out about the man and inform the family, she goes to check with the paramedics team who brought the man in.

The paramedic confirms that he has managed to get the man's wallet from his clothes and found his ID card, he hands over the wallet to the nurse and she pulls out the ID. Her hands freeze and she lets out a small gasp.

"Kya howa? Janti ho esay?"

"Haan... yeh toh filmo mein... yaqeen nahi araha yeh wohi hai."

"Haan, chehre pe bohut zakhm aye hain."

"Main... main call karti hon family ko."

"Good luck." With that paramedic leaves and nurse is standing there just looking at the ID card.

Ayushmann just goes backstage to prepare for his performance, he is closing the awards and that too in Mumbai, he is still feel like he is dreaming, to have won an IIFA award. It is when he is changing into performance clothes he remembers his phone vibrating, he unlocks his phone and sees a missed call by Jitu. He comes to halt at this name and for a moment he forgets everything as he clicks on call back, he just wants to hear his voice but the moment is broken when it goes straight to voicemail which irritates Ayushmann.

 _'This again? Really, Jitu?'_ He cuts off the phone and throws it on sofa in anger. He looks at himself in mirror and composes himself, ' _aaj nahi. Meri life ka itna bada din hai aur main tumhari wajah se usay barbad nahi karonga.'_ With determination he gets ready and pushes all thoughts about certain someone at back of his mind as he hears his name is being announced. He smiles and goes out to perform, it's his night to shine, this stage is his tonight. This is his victory.

The team and surgeon are ready to operate on the patient who is barely hanging onto the life. As they are about to begin the surgery the patient's heart rate starts to slip severely.

"We cannot begin the surgery until his heart is steady."

"But we cannot wait too long, Doctor. We could loose him."

"If we proceed now we will surely loose him."

"Doc, he is slipping."

Ayushmann loves performing on stage, performing live is something else and he is not much of a dancer but a performer. He chose to open up performance by a slow romance song he had recently released. As he sings, a face appears behind his closed eyes and there it is. The feeling, which caused him to write this song in the first place. But tonight, the feeling is filled with a pain. Water starts to gather behind his eyes causing the face to blur from there, momentarily.

The applauses bring him back to reality, opening his eyes he can see the real audience for whom he is singing tonight. Slowly, he ends the song and instantly stage starts shaking with the next number which is pure upbeat and dance number. Shaking off every shred of feelings and memories of his song, he just loses himself in the next song and the next song and the next, until all he can feel is being high on victory and numb to feel anything else. This stage, the crowd and the night, they are all his, he earned it and he is absolutely loving it.

As soon he is off stage and into the back he is being applauded by the staff.

"Great performance, Ayushmann."

"Thank you so much." He is still breathless and high from the performance but damn it does feel good. Before he can walk towards his green room he sees Aparshakti running towards him but does not notice the panic look on his face.

"Apar... did you..."

"Bhai." The way he calls out his name, slightly breathless and tensed.

"Apar..." Ayushmann looks at him finally coming down from his high.

"Jitu... accident..." two words barely out of Aparshakti's mouth and Ayushmann's whole world comes to a halt. Everything around him vanishes and all he can hear is two words - Jitu and accident. He can see his brother is saying something but no other sound is reaching his ears. Then, it seems like as if he is dying because his life with Jitu flashes through his eyes, every moment they spent together, he can see it all so clearly, their love, their fights, the tears, the cold, the warmth... everything and then it comes to halt when his own words pierce through his memory, his last words to Jitu.

_'You are jealous?' What?' The shock is so apparent in his voice but Ayushmann is too into his own head to pay heed to it. 'Jealous. Meri qamiyaabi se jalan ho rahi hai tumhe, jaalte ho kyunki main tumse aagay badh gaya hon aur tum abhi bhi wahin ke wahin ho.' As soon the words are out of his mouth, Ayushmann knows he crossed the line but he doesn't care at this point but when he looks at Jitu's face he almost doesn't recognise the other man, it seems like all the blood left his body and there is not a single emotion in his eyes. 'Get out.' The low and venomous voice sends chill down Ayushmann's spine. 'Get out!' the other man screams using all the strength he had._

Their last encounter keeps spinning in his mind and finally his strength gives out bringing the best actor onto his knees, turns out he what he assumed to be his night of victory is actually the night of his great loss.


End file.
